Skyward Sword: A legend's beginning
by SnowLink2
Summary: Link has lived all his life in Skyloft. Nothing ever changed. A couple fights with Groose here and there, a crush on Zelda, all of that was normal. Nothing abnormal could ever happen, even if Link was having strange dreams... right?
1. Beginning

**Alright, so this is my first story that I've ever published... I'm kind of freaking out about it but you know... I think everyone does that. Just so y'all know, this is Skyward Sword, just in a readable form... If that makes sense.**

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 _This is a tale you humans have passed down through uncounted generations…  
It tells of a war of unmatched scale and ferocity, the likes of which would  
never be seen again.  
One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed  
forth from the fissure.  
They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into  
deep despair….  
They burnt forest to ash, choked the land's sweet springs, and murdered without  
hesitation.  
They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her  
Grace, the goddess.  
The power she guarded was without equal.  
Handed down by gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any  
desire a reality.  
Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the  
care of the goddess.  
To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming  
the lands…  
The goddess gathered the surviving humans on a outcropping of earth.  
She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the  
clouds.  
With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and  
fought the evil forces, sealing them away.  
At last, peace was restored to the surface.  
This is a tale that you humans have told for many ages, generation to  
generation…  
But there are other legends, long hidden away from memory, that are intertwined  
with this tale.  
Now, a new legend bound to this great story stands ready to be revealed.  
A legend that will be forged by your own hand._

I had no clue where I was. It was dark, and I couldn't see anything. I glanced around, and nearly had a heart attack as a giant beast appeared before me. I don't know how to describe it. It had black scales, and no eyes that I could see. It almost reminded me of a worm. But this worm could eat me. It roared, and I took a step back, preparing to run, when a purple light appeared above it. The beast seemed as disturbed by this light as I did, and didn't pay any more attention to me.

" _Rise Link…. The time has come for you to awaken…"_ The voice sounded feminine, but also very robotic, almost like a machine. What does she mean by awaken. I'm awake… aren't I?

" _You are fated to have a hand in a great destiny, and it will soon find you…. The time has come for you to awaken…."_ The beast seemed to have vanished, but I was still confused. I am awake, and I can't possibly be needed for any destiny!

" _Link….."_ The beast reappeared, and the light vanished. I covered my face with my arm, listening to the beast roar, expecting my end to come. But as it continued to make noise, it's roar sounded more and more like a bird. I turned and looked around for the source of the noise, and came face to face with a giant purple bird. I shouted in shock, and the darkness faded from view, changing into the ceiling of my room.

I fell to the ground, blinking wearily as my shock vanished. Zelda's loftwing, the bird who had startled me, peered into my window. I looked up at it, and it spat a letter onto my head, then flew off.

"Stupid bird." I muttered, rubbing my sore head. I opened the letter and read it.

 _Hey sleepyhead, I know how much you like to sleep in, so I'm guessing this letter will be your alarm clock this morning. Did I guess right?_

I scowled. She guessed right, but I wish I could've been woken up more kindly. I continued to read.

 _Rise and shine Link!_

 _Today's the Wing Ceremony!_

 _You promised to meet me before it starts, remember?_

 _You'd better not keep me waiting._

 _-Zelda_

I flinched. I had almost forgotten about my promise to meet Zelda. I quickly got ready, making sure that my white tunic was adjusted correctly, and that the red wrap-thing I had on was in place. I didn't want Groose to have a reason to call me a slob. I left my room and quickly set off to find Zelda. I was fairly certain that I knew where she was. As I was walking to the stairs, I caught sight of Pipit, one of the older students at the academy, reading the billboard on the wall. I walked up to him, and he turned around.

"Morning Link!" He said happily. "So, today's the Wing Ceremony…. Are you ready?"

I grinned and nodded. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"All I'm saying is everyone else is out practicing at the plaza, but you seem pretty…. Relaxed about the whole thing. Of course, that Crimson Loftwing of yours is pretty special. I'd feel pretty confident riding him, too!"  
"What about your bird? He flies well doesn't he?" I asked. Pipit's bird was one of the fastest loftwings in skyloft, so I don't see why he thought mine was so special.

"My bird won the last ceremony, but I don't think he could keep up with that red terror of yours. Of course, a bird's speed in a race always comes down to the skill of the rider."

"I know, and I have enough skill to make my loftwing go much faster than the rest." I said, challenging Pipit to deny me. He chuckled.

"I'm sure you do. Now listen, I'm something of a bird researcher around here, so if you ever find yourself in need of some bird expertise come see ol' Pipit." He turned around and faced the board again, leaving me to go off and do what I had planned to all along. I walked back towards the kitchen, planning to go out those doors, when I caught sight of Fledge struggling to lift a barrel.

"Morning Fledge." I said, walking up to him. I had plenty of time before Zelda would be expecting me to come.

"Good Morning, Link! Today's the day of the big wing ceremony, right?" Fledge said, turning away from his task.

"Yep. Can't wait to see the look on Groose's face when he loses." Fledge nodded.

"I wanted to fly too, but I…. I didn't make the cut, so I'm stuck back here at the academy. Plus, I've got to move these barrels over to the kitchen. I was hoping to at least be able to cheer you on Link, but… I guess that's the way it goes. Go out there and wow them buddy!" Fledge turned back to the barrels and began to try and lift them, with no luck. I shook my head and picked up one of the barrels.

"Aww, thanks. I didn't think you had time to help me out, Link." Fledge said, looking slightly embarrassed.

"No problem! Now where does this go?" I said, beginning to feel the weight of the barrel.

"Really? Thanks! Ok so, I need you to carry one of these barrels over to the old lady who works in the kitchen." I nodded and began to walk slowly over to the kitchen. When I finally made it, my arms were aching slightly and I was out of breath. As I set it down, the lady turned to face me.

"What's all this? I thought I told Fledge to carry that! Bah, it's probably for the best, that skinny boy probably would've gotten flattened." I nodded, hoping that she would thank me and let me go, I was running out of time.

"Hey, don't you have some important ceremony or some such today? Hmph! Well thanks for the help!" She turned and went back to cooking, signaling that I could leave.

As I walked out of the kitchen, I saw Fledge holding a red rupee in his hands. I'm sure he was planning on giving it to me, but I slipped outside quietly before he could notice. There was no need for him to give me that, I had plenty of money already.

I stepped outside into the sunlight, jogging towards where Zelda was waiting. As I ran, I grabbed a stag beetle off the wall and put it in my pouch, saving it to sell or give to one of the kids. As I passed under a ledge, I heard one of the instructors call for me.

"Hey Link! Up here!" I looked up at my instructor, hoping that whatever he wanted to talk about wouldn't take long. "Good morning to you, Link! Finally today's the day of the long-awaited Wing Ceremony!" I grinned and nodded, glad that my instructor remembered that I got to do it this year.

"Link, could you come up here for a moment and give me a hand?" I sighed softly, hoping he didn't notice and began to climb up to where he was standing.

"Thank you Link. So what are you up to? Rushing to get some last minute bird riding practice in this morning?"

"Actually, I was planning on meeting someone this morning, and I'm running a bit late."  
"Oh? You have someone to meet?" Ah, Zelda's waiting for you, isn't she?" I nodded, hoping that he'd see I was in a hurry and let me go.

"Perfect timing then!" I groaned internally, but let him continue talking. "You see, headmaster Gaepora has a pet named Mia, and well… she's scampered off again. She's on that roof over there. Would you mind grabbing her for me?" I nodded, and climbed up to the roof as quickly as I could, not wanting to waste any more time. When Mia saw me, she meowed softly and stretched.

"Alright Mia, let's get you down quickly." I muttered, picking her up. I climbed back down to the instructor, and he smiled happily.

"Nice work Link! Sorry for troubling you with this, I know you're busy Link. I guess I had better go and feed Mia now. Please tell the headmaster I found his pet." He scooped up Mia and walked back inside, leaving me to finally head over to Zelda.

I just hope she isn't mad at me for being late.

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 **Okay so.. the ending is kind of lame... but I needed to publish this before I wimped out of it. I hope y'all liked it, and I'll add another chapter soon. (Thank god for winter break!)**


	2. Zelda

**Alright. Next chapter. Hopefully y'all like it!**

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I ran to the statue of the goddess, hoping that Zelda wasn't becoming impatient with me. She's my best friend, but she still scares me when she's angry, even if she's not mad at me.

When I finally made it to the statue, I could hear her singing softly. As I walked up to her, I saw that she was also playing an instrument. This was the first time I heard her play, and she was really good at it.

She continued to sing as I walked up, I think the song is called _Ballad of the Goddess_. Whatever the song was called, she was doing really well, and I couldn't help the smile that came to my face as she sang. Suddenly she stopped and glanced backwards, noticing me. She smiled happily and turned around.

"Hey! Good morning, Link. I'm glad to see my Loftwing got you out of bed." I scowled at the thought of her loftwing.

"That bird hates me Zelda. I don't know what I did to it." She laughed and looked up at the sky.

"She doesn't hate you, she's just protective. But I'm still glad she got you up. I was pretty sure you'd sleep in and forget to meet me this morning." Zelda knows me way too well. If she hadn't gotten her loftwing to wake me up, I would have slept in past the ceremony even. As I was about to apologise, she exclaimed,

"But look at this instrument! And look at this outfit! They're mine to use today during the ceremony, since I'll be playing the role of the goddess." The instrument Zelda was holding was golden, with strings on the inside of it. The outfit she was wearing was nice also. She had put a scarf-like thing on her shoulders, and tied them behind her. She was also wearing her normal pink dress, along with a belt and blue wrap around her waist.

(Don't think I'm weird for noticing these things. I'm just a good friend, I swear.) Before I could say anything else, she continued,

"Aren't they beautiful? Especially this instrument! They tell me it's just like the one the goddess was said to have in the legends. It sounds gorgeous too. I asked father about it, and he said it's called a harp. And look at these clothes! I made this wrap myself, and we get to use it in today's ceremony! Between the harp and this outfit, I'm going to make a great goddess today!" I smiled softly. Zelda always got excited about special ceremonies like this, and I always enjoyed seeing her work hard to make them go well.

"I got you up early this morning because I wanted you to see me like this, Link! So…" She spun around with her arms out. "How do I look?"

"Great" I said immediately, glad to have a chance to talk.

"Hah, I think so too. But it's nice to know you agree. Thanks, Link." She seemed to smile even wider than before.

"Ah, there you are, Zelda. Are you all prepared for today's ceremony?" Headmaster Gaepora walked over towards us.

"Oh, hello, Father." Zelda said, waving at him.

"Ah, Link you're here too. Outstanding. It's encouraging to see you up so early, given your capacity for sleep. No doubt today's ceremony had you too excited to close your eyes for once." I looked down sheepishly. Nothing could keep me awake all night if I have the option to sleep. It's one of my favorite pastimes.

"If you win today's ceremonial race, you'll get to participate in the post race ritual with Zelda, so give it your best out there." He gave me a glare that most would wither under, and I stepped back from him slightly, fearing the consequences of losing. Zelda sighed and hugged her harp closer to her chest.

"Yes, about that…. Father, I don't know if he can do it!" I flinched and closed my eyes, not wanting to see the looks on either of their faces.

"Recently Link hasn't been practicing much at all for the ceremony!" Zelda looked at me, and moved my eyes to the ground, still not looking either of them in the eye.

"And even when he's out riding his Loftwing, he's just lazily gliding around. Probably daydreaming! I don't know what he's thinking. He's going to have to be in perfect control of his bird in order to win today." I don't think I daydream that much when I fly. I mean, I think about stuff a lot, but that's normal… Isn't it?

I continue to think about whether or not I daydream, ignoring Zelda and the headmaster's conversation. I came back into reality though, when I heard the headmaster say,

"You see, Link and his Loftwing share a special connection. I've never seen anything quite like it. As you know, each of us in skyloft is but one half of a pair. We are only made whole by our Loftwings, the guardian birds that the goddess bestows upon each of us as a symbol of her divine protection. When we are young, each of us meets our Loftwing under the statute of the goddess. It's quite a big moment, as I'm sure you recall. But that first meeting between Link and his Loftwing was extraordinary. The bird that came to him was a Crimson Loftwing. It was a breed so rare that for a while we were sure for some time that it had vanished from the line. Yes, and the boy and the bird seemed to share a profound connection from the moment they met." I smiled softly, remembering vividly the day I met my Loftwing. I had been sitting with Zelda under the goddess statue's shadow, when a giant Crimson Loftwing flew up to us. It landed right in front of us, and stared at us expectantly. We both stood up, and I reached my hand out hesitantly. It cawed softly, and placed its beak on my hand. Zelda and I both grinned, and I moved to the Loftwings side. It immediately let me jump on it's back, and we flew off, never to be separated again.

As I thought about this, I looked up into the sky, searching for the familiar warmth I could feel when my loftwing was nearby. But I couldn't feel anything, no matter how far I searched. I was about to tell Zelda this, but she began to speak again.

"This contest is nothing to laugh at father! This ceremony is part of the final test for those training to become knights of Skyloft! If Link doesn't fly fast enough during the race… What if Link messes up his big chance, what if he doesn't become a knight?" The headmaster held his hands up in surrender.

"Calm down my dear. Honestly, it's almost as though you become a completely different person when you worry about Link." Zelda sighed and turned to me. I moved my focus from trying to find my Loftwing to her, wondering what she was thinking.

"Listen Link, you'd better fly your heart out today. At the very least, you need to squeeze in a little practice time before the race!"

"But, Zelda I-" I tried to tell her about my bird, but she wouldn't listen.

"Come on! You'll thank me later!" She exclaimed, dragging me to one of the ledges we jump off of. When we got to the platform, she shoved to to the edge of it.

"Here we are! Go on now. Jump off the ledge and call your Loftwing. It's almost time for the ceremony, so try to practice seriously for once!"

"Zelda, I can't sense my bird out there anywhere. We need to try and find it." I said frantically, trying not to fall off the edge.

"Hmm.. Oh yeah? You can't 'sense' your bird out there?" She took me seriously for a moment, but then changed her mind and smirked mischievously. "Oh I get it. You're trying to weasel out of having to practice! Nice try, but you're not fooling me. Off you go!" With those three words, she pushed me off the edge. I shouted as I fell, and tried to position myself to land on my loftwing better… If he was out there. I whistled and waited for my bird to come catch me, but nothing happened. I continued to whistle frantically, fearing that two terrible things were going to happen.

One. I was going to fall through the clouds into whatever was below.

Two. I might never see my loftwing again.

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 **How would you guys feel if you thought you might never see your pet/friend again? I would be really upset.**

 **Feel free to review and tell me what I can do better!**

 **-Snow**


	3. Where's my Loftwing!

**Alright y'all! I'm actually enjoying this quite a bit. It gives me a chance to go through the whole Skyward Sword story again.**

 **Hope you like this next chapter. Feel free to review and say what I'm screwing up, or what y'all think I'm doing right!**

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I continued to fall, the wind rushing around me. At this point, I was certain that I would fall through the clouds and never see Skyloft again.

I had been so distracted by what I thought were my final thoughts that I didn't notice Zelda jump down and call for her Loftwing, until the Loftwing caught me in it's talons. If you were wondering, landing on a Loftwing doesn't really hurt, but being caught out of the air by one can be painful. My stomach lurched as my falling abruptly stopped, and I was carried upwards by Zelda's Loftwing.

"Hang in there Link! I've got you!" Zelda said from atop her bird, looking down at me.

The Loftwing finally made it back up to where the headmaster was, and crashed into the ground. The three of us lay there on the ground, breathing heavily, all feeling overwhelmed by what just happened.

"Are you two alright?" The headmaster asked, looking at me and Zelda with concern. I nodded, too out of breath to respond with words. I looked at Zelda and her Loftwing, and saw that the bird seemed to be slightly injured. Zelda was right next to it, muttering softly, and apologising for pushing it so hard.

"This is very odd Link. What could have possibly happened to your Loftwing? For a bird to ignore the call of his master, it's unheard of! And you still can't sense your bird nearby, eh Link?" I shook my head as I stood up, concerned that I might never see my Loftwing again. The headmaster sighed.

"This is quite a problem, especially considering that the Wing Ceremony is about to start." I looked at the headmaster, wondering if this meant I'd have to wait another year to become a knight.

"Link.." Zelda said, still looking at her Loftwing, not meeting my eyes. "When you said you couldn't sense your Loftwing well… I should have believed you. I'm sorry. I need to tend to my own Loftwing, so I'll catch up with you later." I nodded.

"Is it alright? I don't want your Loftwing to be injured because of me." Zelda nodded.

"She'll be fine. Her wing just got strained, that's all. You'd better go on ahead and see if you can find where your bird has gone!" Right as she finished her sentence, the academy bell started ringing, signaling that the ceremony would soon begin.

"My, how did it get to be so late? If I recall correctly, this year Instructor Horwell is presiding over the ceremony. Link, you should go and explain the situation to him and see if he's willing to delay the race a little so you can find your bird." I nodded, and was about to go find the Instructor when Zelda giggled.

"But, Father, you're the headmaster of the academy! If Link asks Instructor Horwell, he'll probably just come talk to you about it."

"Ah, quite true. As usual, you make an excellent point, my dear." The headmaster chuckled. "Very well, I'll explain the situation to him myself. Link, run along and tell Instructor Horwell to meet me in my quarters."

"Yes sir." I said quickly, already running off to find my bird. And tell the Instructor to meet the headmaster, of course.

As I ran back to the academy, I saw Karane standing by the doors. When I approached her, I could hear her muttering angrily. "Don't men open doors for a lady anymore? How long am I supposed to stand here waiting for a little chivalry? Ugh…" I laughed as I walked up to the doors. I knew exactly who Karane wanted to open the door for her. It definitely wasn't me.

"Oh! It's you, Link… Say, you look all flustered. Did something happen?" Her eyes filled with concern. In some ways, Karane was like an older sister to me, always there to help if I needed something.

"My Loftwing is missing, and it hasn't answered any of my calls." The look on Karane's face quickly turned from concern to shock.

"What?! You can't find your Loftwing?" She sighed and looked down at the ground thoughtfully. "Umm… I don't know what to tell you. I've been here at school the whole time. Pipit is the one to ask about birds. I saw him downstairs a minute ago. Why don't you look for him there?" When Karane mentioned Pipit's name, her whole face brightened. It was rather amusing to see. I nodded and headed inside, hoping Pipit might have some idea of where my Loftwing could've gone. As I walked down the stairs of the academy to find Pipit, he saw me and looked at me with confusion.

"You're not still wandering around the academy are you?!" I shook my head.

"I'm not going to miss the ceremony, my loftwing just hasn't been answering when I call for it." Jeez. At this rate I should just get a sign to hold up.

"What?! Your Loftwing won't come when you call for it? Why wouldn't a guardian bird come when it's called?" I sighed. I guess Pipit doesn't know anything about where my bird could have gone. "You know, I've never heard of something Like this happening before, so I can't even tell you what you're doing wrong… But a good senior never hangs an underclassman out to dry. We'll figure this out together! You go to the plaza, and ask people if they know anything. I'll ask around here." I smiled, and thanked Pipit profusely. This would save me a lot of time. I headed off quickly to the Plaza, and began to ask people if they've seen my bird around there. As I continued to walk around the plaza, I saw a trio that could know where my bird went. As I walked up to the three, I could hear them talking. Their backs were to me, and I approached slowly, knowing I might get more info if I eavesdrop instead.

"You know Groose, that sure was a pain, what with all the scratching and pecking." One of them said. The big one in the middle chuckled.

"Course it was. You thought a big Crimson Loftwing like that was gonna go down without a fight? But we got him, and I don't care how tough those birds are supposed to be. He's not getting out of that pen anytime soon, boys." I began to shake with rage as the three stood up, but quickly masked it. Two of them noticed me immediately. It took Groose a moment to turn around and see me. When he did, he jumped back in shock.

"Whoa! Link! So, uh… yeah. Just how long you been standing there?" I was about to confront him about my bird when he laughed and began to walk in circles around me.

"What's your problem, anyway? Oh, wait… I got it. You're here to talk about today's race. I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours. They're pleading, 'Oh Groose, can you please find it in your heart to win today? Please?'" I scowled. As if I'd ever beg an idiot like Groose to let me win. "You're just desperate to win so that you can get some alone time with Zelda up on the Statue of the Goddess at the end of the ceremony." He turned and looked me in the eyes, getting too close for my comfort. "Well, sorry, pal. Groose doesn't do charity for wimps. My advice? Work hard and wish with all your heart. You might even come in second… Say, come to think of it… how come I don't see your bird? Where is that scruffy pile of red feathers? I can't even imagine what could've happened to him. Do you think his tiny brain got confused by all the clouds and got lost?" Groose leaned back and smirked at me, daring me to speak. I smirked. "Nice hair, Groose." He scowled. "You lay off my do right now, or I'll flatten you. Everyone knows I've got the slickest pompadour in town. You know." He said, pointing a finger in my face. "We're all getting tired of how you never let anyone forget that you and Zelda go way back. You've been friends since you were kids?" He scoffed. "Big deal. It doesn't change the fact that you float through life with your head in the clouds. Would you wake up, straighten up, and grow a backbone already? Dopes like you are dragging our honoured academy through the mud."

"And just who might you be talking about, Groose?" I turned and saw Zelda looking at us angrily, hands on her hips.

"Oh… Zelda… Hey. Nah. It's uh... " I began to step back as Zelda stomped up to Groose, and nearly fell over as she shoved me to the side. She got right up in Groose's face and pointed a finger at him.

"Don't even try it, Groose! You're picking on Link again, aren't you? He's a student at the academy, like all of us. Why do you insist on bullying him around so much?" I could answer that question for her. It was because I was friends with her. Plain and simple.

"Yeah… I suppose…" Groose said nervously.

"You suppose? Suppose what?" Zelda glared at Groose as his face changed from being nervous to a look of awe and… love?

"I… suppose… you… Er... " He fell completely out of it for a moment, but then scowled again. "Pfft! Forget it! I wasn't supposing anything. Ok?" He and his cronies stalked off to one of the platforms. "Ok, we're outta here boys. Later, Link! Hope you find your bird, or else you're gonna have to sit out today's race! That could be a major setback toward Knighthood, so find that bird or get real used to the taste of failure! It's your special flavour." The trio jumped off the platform, flying off with their birds. I scowled as Groose waved smugly.

"I hate to say it, but I'm beginning to think that those blockheads had something to do with your Loftwing's disappearance. Link, those guys aren't going to help us find your bird, so we'd better start searching." Zelda turned to face me, smiling softly. "I'll fly around Skyloft and see if I can find any trace of your bird. Father said he'd talk to Instructor Horwell about delaying the start of the wing ceremony, so don't worry. We'll find your bird in time." Zelda then ran off and jumped onto her bird, flying around Skyloft. I sighed and raked a hand through my blonde hair. I was beginning to feel hopeless. I had searched all of Skyloft, and there was still no sign of my Loftwing. I was ready to break down and cry. My Loftwing is closer to me than even Zelda is. Without him I'm not whole. I don't know if I could continue if he's really gone. I walked back to the academy slowly, hoping that Pipit could've figured something out. As I was about to enter the upper doors, I heard a shout from Pipit.

"Hey! Link! Over here! I have some information about your Loftwing! Come over here!" I grinned and jumped off the ledge, running over to Pipit. I noticed that Fledge was standing behind him, looking scared and worried.

"Hey Link, I was just looking for you. When I asked Fledge what he knew, he started acting weird." Pipit then nudged Fledge and gave him a meaningful look. Fledge turned to me and began speaking quickly.

"I'm so sorry Link! I really wanted to tell you… but if Groose found out I told you..."

"It sounds like Groose forced him to be quiet about it. Go on! Tell him the truth!" Pipit interrupted, looking at Fledge with frustration. Fledge sighed and continued.

"Just a little while ago, when I was cleaning the dining hall, Groose and his buddies came in. They didn't notice I was there and started talking about their plan to hide your Loftwing. I wanted to warn you Link, but as I started to sneak away...They said that if I told you, they'd make sure I would never be able to ride a bird again!" I sighed, feeling pity for Fledge, but also frustration. He shouldn't take their threats seriously. If they did anything that harmed another student, they'd be kicked out of the academy before they could say Loftwing.

"It sounds like Groose and his buddies had a plan to capture your bird and hide him near a waterfall. Well, near a waterfall would mean… It's probably the one near the cave. It's the only one I can think of." Pipit said, taking authority over the situation. I nodded.

"I'll head over there and see if I can sense my Loftwing anywhere. Thanks Pipit."

"Forgive me Link! I can't help being such a coward… I'm really sorry." I shrugged and shook my head.

"There was nothing you could do about it Fledge. Just try and take those bullies less seriously next time. No harm done." Fledge smiled, grateful that I wasn't mad. I smiled back and began to walk off to the waterfall, when I heard Pipit call for me again.

"One more thing, Link! If you're going to the waterfall, remember that there are some dangerous things there. Creepy, crawly things. You're going to need to carry a sword." Pipit was right. In my rush to find my Loftwing, I forgot about the things that resided in the cave, like chu's and keese. Zelda and I had gone to the cave many time, but we had never confronted any of the monsters head on. We both knew we'd be facing more punishment than just injury if someone found out we tried to attack or fight one. Now my only problem is… I don't know where to find a sword.

"I think I saw the Knight commander go into the Sparring Hall a while ago. You should go ask him if you can borrow one!" Pipit said, obviously knowing I was clueless. Honestly, I felt a little stupid. I should've realized that the Sparring Hall would have swords.

I walked into the Sparring Hall, seeing that the Knight Commander was inside. I walked into the room that held our training swords, pulling one out of the nearest chest. I stepped back outside into the main room and hit at some of the dummies in there. I couldn't fight monsters without practice right? As I continued to slice at them and chop them down, my mind went into a haze. I always enjoyed fighting. Not the part where people or things get hurt, but the part where I learn to defend myself and others. It always felt so… right.

I was so absorbed in my practice that I almost didn't hear the Knight Commander shout joyfully, "That's right Link!" I looked at him and grinned. He looked back at me with pride.

"You really are a strong swordsman. Easy to teach too. You make this instructor proud! Would you want to try a spin attack?" My grin grew even wider.

"Of course I would!" Only advanced students get to do spin attacks. I've only done it one other time, so the instructor is putting a lot of faith in me. I stood in the middle of the room and the practice dummies dropped down. I took a deep breath and spun, making sure to keep my sword in a straight line, so that I could hit all of the dummies. When I opened my eyes, all of the dummies were cut clean in half, and the instructor was smiling happily. "Good one! That sure looked like it felt good! Now… do you want to try a fatal blow?" I looked at the instructor with shock. None of the seniors at the academy had even tried a fatal blow. I nodded, and took a defensive stance in the middle of the room. I had seen the instructor do it, so I knew exactly what I needed to do. When the dummy dropped down, I quickly slashed at it. As the top half of it fell, I flipped in the air and stabbed the middle of the top half of it. I looked up at the instructor, breathing heavily. Those were harder than I thought. He looked back at me with shock all over his face.

"In all my years Link.. I've never seen a student execute it that well on their first try. Great job!" He walked over and clapped me on the back, smiling even wider than before. I grinned up at him, glad I was doing one thing right. As the instructor moved back to sit down, I tried to sneak quietly out the door with my sword. I didn't need anyone else to know that my loftwing was missing. But, as I grabbed the doorknob, I heard the instructor call out, "Hey! Link!" I stopped and sighed, trudging slowly back towards the instructor.

"You can't take swords outside of the sparring hall. What do you think you're doing sneaking out with that?!" He exclaimed, waving his own sword about in frustration.

"I'm sorry, but I really need this, instructor. My loftwing is missing, and I think he might be by the waterfall." The instructor sighed and nodded, not waving his sword wildly around anymore.

"Well I guess I could make an exception just this once. But remember that Skyloft is a peaceful place. Only knights carry swords! So I don't want to see you swinging it around like crazy out there! I don't want to get in a ton of trouble over this so here's the deal… Make sure you get plenty of practice on these logs first, and when you get outside with that sword, only use it when you absolutely have to. Got it?" I nodded and grinned.

"Thank you so much! I promise to work extra hard next time I come around!" I said happily, already running out the doors to get to my Loftwing.

I sprinted as fast as I could across Skyloft, and finally made it over to the pond (lake?) where the waterfall was. I carefully jumped across the rocks, and walked over to the entrance of the cave. When I got close to it, I could suddenly sense my Loftwing. Everything went dark for a moment, and I could see it struggling to move boards that were nailed up in front of it. Groose really had caged him in. I drew my sword quickly, and rushed into the cave, ready to fight whatever monsters may be inside in order to save my Loftwing.

* * *

 **Alright! That ends chapter 3! Thanks for reading, and if I don't post another chapter before Christmas, Merry Christmas to y'all!**

 **-Snow**


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